JeffGate: Part II

The recent article by the Tallahassee Democrat which revealed the truth of the Jeff Bowden payoff is illustrative of a program that has been less than open and truthful. The Democrat through its investigation proves that the payoff of Jeff Bowden is unprecedented. After all, this was an offensive corrdinator, not a head coach.

There are a number of questions that FSU should have to answer regarding this payoff:

1. What role did Bobby Bowden play in securing the $537,000 payoff ?

2. What role did T.K. Wetherell play in securing the payoff for Jeff Bowden?

3. How did Dave Hart and the Boosters arrive at the $537,000 payoff amount to Jeff Bowden?

4. Why didn't FSU simply consider terminating Jeff Bowden and paying his salary through the end of his contract? Obviously this would have been much less than the payoff amount.

If this had not been the son of Bobby Bowden, does anyone really believe that this payoff would have occurred? As I have said before, this agreement stinks to high heaven.